Preventing Falls Among Older Fallers to Test the Effect of LIVE-LiFE, a Home-Based, Tailored Fall Prevention Program

Johns Hopkins University40 enrolled

Overview

Purpose: To test the effect of LIVE-LiFE, a home-based, tailored fall prevention program for older adults with a high risk for falling. Study Type: Single-blind, two group randomized pilot trial. Randomization is 2:1 (27 intervention, 13 control). Participants have a chance of being in the LIVE-LiFE group or the control group. Safe-LiFE Group: Individually tailored intervention at the participant's home spaced across 12 weeks including: * Home safety assessment and risk reduction strategies; incorporating strength and balance training into daily habits vision screening and referral; and education about fear of falling and falls * Home repairs, modifications, and low cost assistive devices to address unsafe home environments increasing fall risk * Medication review and feedback concerning medications with increased fall risk Control Group: • An individualized fall risk assessment provided to participant and their primary care provider Sample: 40 community-dwelling older adults in Baltimore City or County

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Fall Prevention

Interventions

LIVE-LiFE Intervention: Individually tailored program at the participant's home spaced across 12 weeks including: * Home safety assessment and risk reduction strategies; incorporating strength and balance training into daily habits vision screening and referral; and education about fear of falling and falls * Home repairs, modifications, and low cost assistive devices to address unsafe home environments increasing fall risk * Medication review and feedback concerning medications with increased fall risk Measurement intervals: Baseline, 4 months, 8 months (with $25 gift card given at each visit for your time)

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 70 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Adults ≥ 70 or older * Self-report of 2 or more falls in the past 12 months OR 1 fall causing injury in the past 12 months Exclusion Criteria: * Moderate-severe memory problems * No conversational English * Not able to stand * Resident in a nursing home or assisted living facility * Hospitalized \> 3 times in the last year * Terminally ill (\<1 year expected survival) * Receiving active cancer treatment

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Times Up and Go Test

A test used to assess the length of time it takes a person to get out of a chair, walk 10 feet, turn around and sit back down in the same chair.

Time frame: Baseline to 16 weeks

Secondary Outcomes

Falls Self-Efficacy

The confidence a person has in their ability to walk without falling measured via a 10-item Likert -type 10-point scale with score ranges from 10-100, where 10 is low confidence and 100 is high confidence in their ability to perform various activities without falling.